Get Started at Milestones!
What should I do to get started with therapy?
After I contact Milestones for an appointment, when do we start services?
What do I expect for the first initial appointment?
What is the Milestones Membership?
What do I expect after the testing is complete and we start treatment?
How long will my child receive therapy services?
How often do we come for services if my child qualifies?
What health insurance plans do you accept and what are the other options for payments?
Does insurance typically cover therapy services at Milestones?
What Should I Do to Get Started With Therapy?
After receiving a referral for therapy services, or even if you are seeking out therapy on your own accord, please contact our office via phone or via the contact form to schedule your first appointment. Our friendly office staff will do their best to answer all of your questions and gather the information needed regarding your child.
After I contact Milestones for an appointment, when do we start services?
Often times there is a waiting period before we can start services. We always do our best to keep any waiting periods as brief as possible. Once a spot that meets the availability you provided is available our office will contact you to begin services, which often starts with an evaluations.
What do I expect for the first initial appointment?
At Milestones appointments are scheduled weekly unless otherwise discussed. The evaluation is conducted within the first TWO one-hour appointments. If services are recommended your child’s weekly spot remains the same and services start on the third visit. Please arrive 15 minutes early to your first appointment to complete our Welcome Packet. Please bring your insurance card(s) and if applicable; please bring any previous evaluations and your child’s Individual Education Plan/504.
During the evaluation sessions, your child’s therapist will review your concerns regarding your child’s development. We strongly encourage all parents/care-givers to share with us personal goals you would like to see your child achieve as well so that these may be included in the evaluation report. Upon completion of the testing, your therapist will discuss any areas of concerns and make recommendations. If your child does not need to attend weekly treatment sessions, we will provide a copy of the assessment report via mail within four weeks of the completion of the testing.
What is the Milestones Membership?
The Milestones Membership is mandatory monthly fee to be part of the practice. Milestones has always prioritized the quality and ethical care of the children who attend out program. In an effort to preserve the quality of our program and preserve the ability to meet the unique needs of all the kids who have spots on the schedule, Milestones has implemented a per child monthly membership fee. This fee covers the services we offer as part of our program for all the children that are not billable to insurance. Please reference the Membership Agreements in the Welcome Packet for more details.
What do I expect after the testing is complete and we start treatment?
Please arrive at least 5 minutes before your child’s therapy session with your child.
Therapy sessions are 50 minutes in length with the last 5-10 minutes set aside for parent education and discussion of progress in therapy that day. During your child’s therapy session, most of our parents remain in the waiting room as children tend to participate at a greater level, and/or transition more easily between activities without their parent present. Should your accommodations to this be needed for a period of time you can discuss a plan with your treating therapist.
How Long Will My Child Receive Therapy Services?
This question will be more easily answered once your child’s evaluation is complete. If therapy services are recommended, a frequency and tentative time line will be established, along with a plan of care, and goals to be achieved on both a short-term and long-term basis. Most of our patients begin therapy once a week for a period of 6-12 months depending on level of needs and consistency of carry over at home. Children continue at their recommended frequency for as long as it is needed. As long as your child is making progress towards their goals, therapy will continue.
How often do we come for services if my child qualifies?
Most children that attend our program have weekly spots. Similar to other afterschool, camp, childcare and recreational programs, Milestones can only accept so many kids into our program at a time. Your child’s spot is held for just his or her use on a weekly basis and regular attendance is important to make progress towards goals. Milestones does have an attendance policy that is included in the Welcome Packet when you start services.
What health insurance plans do you accept and what are the other options for payments?
Milestones accepts most types of insurance as form of payment, but we are in-network with the following companies:
• Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield
• Other Blue Cross/Blue Shield Plans
• NH Medicaid
• United Healthcare
• Cigna
• Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare
• New Hampshire Healthy Families
• Wellsense
• AmeriHealth Caritas
• Tufts
In the case that we are not out of network with your plan we will still submit claims to your insurance company at your request. Not all insurance plans have out of network benefits and most out of network benefit coverage includes a higher deductible making the member responsible for a greater percentage of the total charges.
Milestones accepts, cash, checks, credit cards, and health savings accounts/flex spending accounts for co-payments, co-insurance, deductible and private pay services.
Does insurance typically cover therapy services at Milestones?
Milestones verifies insurance benefits for therapy services before your first visit to the center. If it is suspected that your plan is not going to cover therapy for your child you will be notified. Please note that benefits quoted by your health plan are not a guarantee of coverage and most plans will report that they cannot determine actual benefits until they review the first claim. Factors that determine coverage include the diagnosis code provided by your child’s doctor, your child’s age, and the type of therapy being provided. Plans that do provide coverage will still require the copay to be paid for each visit, deductibles to be met, referrals/authorizations to be obtained and often have a limit to the number of visits that can be provided.